An electric dust collector apparatus refers to an apparatus for purifying gases by applying an electric field to microparticles contained in the gases, such as air to impart electricity to the microparticles and collecting the charged microparticles using an electrostatic force. Among various electrostatic precipitation methods, a wet electrostatic precipitation method is a method of removing contaminants collected in a dust collecting plate using an electric dust collector apparatus additionally provided with a cleaning water supplying device and a circulating device.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a wet electrostatic precipitator including a conventional continuous dust collector cleaning apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 1, the wet electrostatic precipitator including the conventional continuous dust collector cleaning apparatus (disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2010-0065693) includes a plurality of discharge electrodes 140 which is fixedly installed on a discharge electrode gap maintaining rod and to which a high voltage is applied, a plurality of collecting electrodes 150 which are separately installed between the discharge electrodes 140 and are specially processed to reduce a critical surface tension of surfaces of the collecting electrodes 150, a reinforcing rod which is installed between the collecting electrodes 150 to maintain gaps between the collecting electrodes 150, a washing pipe header unit including a unit injection device for radially injecting cleaning water onto the surfaces of the collecting electrodes 150, and a water channel 180 which is installed under the collecting electrodes 150 and prevents the cleaning water from flowing into the discharge electrode gap maintaining rod to which a high voltage is applied. The disclosed wet electrostatic precipitator can fundamentally block adhesive particles from depositing on the surfaces of the collecting electrodes 150 by continuously forming a stable water film on the surfaces of the collecting electrodes 150 with a minimum amount of cleaning water. Accordingly, intermittent cleaning works conducted after blocking application of high voltage power can be minimized, thereby maintaining high efficiency of the wet electric dust collector apparatus.
The wet electrostatic precipitator including a conventional continuous dust collector cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. 1 may prevent the microparticles from being deposited on the surfaces of the collecting electrodes by allowing cleaning water to flow into on the surfaces of the collecting electrodes. However, since the microparticles are collected based on attraction with respect to the collecting electrodes, the microparticle deposition preventing effect cannot be sufficiently achieved just by allowing cleaning water to flow into on the surfaces of the collecting electrodes.
In addition, the wet electrostatic precipitator including a conventional continuous dust collector cleaning apparatus may confront several problems, including reduced dust collecting efficiency due to microparticles remaining on the collecting electrodes, a risk of ozone production, and so on. Further, since the wet electrostatic precipitator including a conventional continuous dust collector cleaning apparatus includes a charged metal plate exposed therein, electric shocks may be highly likely to occur to a user and there are rising concerns over occurrence of fire accidents due to a spark caused by a direct contact between dust and the metal plate.
<Cited Reference 1: Korean Patent Publication No. 2010-0065693>